April 1, 2008 news

~PALIO D' ASTI~ already has a killer happy hour that has been running for eleven years and counting (free pizza MonÂ­–Fri from 4pm–7pm), and for the lousy tax-ridden month of April, they will be serving $1 martinis (Stoli or Beefeater) for those who are ordering lunch, which is a good thing, because lord knows you'll need something to soak up the booze. Read all about it on the site, and you'll also see an artichoke cooking class and dinner, and the Italian Seder on the last night of Passover. 640 Sacramento St. at Montgomery, 415-395-9800.

The XYZ Bar/W Cafe at the W Hotel is kicking off ~ECOLICIOUS~, a happy hour. The party goes from 5:30pm–7:30pm Mon–Fri, with organic wines, beer, and $10 cocktails (a vodka-elderflower number with a prosecco float, and a tequila-watermelon-chili cocktail, both concocted by H. Joseph Ehrmann). There will be organic bar bites as well, like Asiago cheese pizza with organic spring onion and asparagus. A portion of the proceeds goes to Save the Bay during the month of April. 181 Third St. at Howard, 415-777-5300.

~BONG SU~ has five new chef-driven cocktails on their innovative drink menu, like the Mekong Martini (with black tea-infused tapioca balls topped up with mango puree, Vietnamese Kai Lychee Vodka, and pandan leaf); the Cherimoya Sidecar, and the Saigon Sun made with coconut water. 311 Third St. at Folsom, 415-536-5800.

Next Monday, April 7th, is the ~RYE MONDAY MIXING CONTEST~, featuring Veloce, a northern Italian winter wheat grain spirit. Rye is looking for ten bar people to mix creative and balanced drinks with Veloce. Prizes will be awarded to the top drinks, and Rye will pay Bartenders Guild dues for the first place winner. Tell your friends to come cheer you on, and enjoy complimentary drinks on a Monday. Interested participants, please RSVP at 415 786-7803 or email greg [at] rosewoodbar [dot] com. 7:30pm. 688 Geary St. at Leavenworth.

If Jeff Hollinger's wino piece on absinthe piqued your interest a few weeks ago, you should check out this Thursday's ~FLIGHT NIGHT AT ABSINTHE~ (April 3rd). For the first time ever, they will be offering flights of absinthe: the Lucid Absinthe Verte, Kübler Absinthe Superieure, and St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte. They will also be featuring their absinthe-based cocktails, the Lawhill and the Sacred Heart (I've tried that one—yum). Absinthe, 398 Hayes St. at Gough, 415-551-1590.

~330 RITCH~ is opening this Friday, April 4th, after a two-month renovation. The partners behind the changes are City Visions Entertainment, a group of five San Francisco event producers who were voted Promoters of the Year by 7x7 magazine. From the press release: "Our goal is to create a relaxed environment where people can meet new friends, share ideas and listen to great music—an alternative to a dark, uninviting, club atmosphereâ¦ We took the natural features of this historic space, the beams, brick and old wood bars, and added a modern, industrial flare [sic] to create an atmosphere that reflects the diverse styles and attitudes of the city," explains project director, Ezra Berman. Popscene!, an 11-year-old weekly party that caters to the 18 and up crowd, will continue on Thursday nights (just wanted all you chicken hawks to know). There will also be a new weekly Friday night party, and the venue will have a full menu of tapas, comfort food, and a menu of late-night snacks after 2am. 330 Ritch St. at Brannan, 415-541-9574.